Randolph Mantooth

In 2000 he participated in Project 51, a non-profit organization organized to not only celebrate the impact Squadra emergenza (1972) had on rescue and emergency services but to honor members of the EMS profession as well. As one of seven committee members guiding this organization, he finished a cross-country tour, traveling with the refurbished Squad from the television show to such cities as: Orlando, Chicago, Las Vegas, Long Island, Baltimore and the final stop, Washington, DC. On May 16, nearly 30 years after "Emergency!" debuted, the Smithsonian Institute accepted the show's memorabilia into its Natural History Museum.

People tell me this all the time...they come up to me and say, 'You're my hero,' I say no. I'm just the face. You're the body. You do the work. You're on the front line. Believe me, when I tell you from the bottom of my heart -- if you're a firefighter...an EMT...a paramedic -- you're my hero.